1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates generally to hand accessories used in gripping the handle of an implement such as a baseball bat with the aim of protecting the user's hands and enhancing the gripping motion of the user's hands thereby improving power transmission and control of the handle of the implement thus improving the quality of hitting when swinging a baseball bat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hand accessory 500 of previous U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,864 B2, filed Dec. 12, 2008 by the present inventor, relied greatly on lower hand grip 510 (in combination with upper hand grip 520) to achieve the desired benefits of protection and stress reduction to the hand, aiding the fingers in gripping and enhancing control when swinging a base ball bat or gripping other similar handles. A major goal of previous patents by the present inventor has been to reduce stress to upper, weaker areas of the hand by contacting the handle at a lower area and receiving greater inertial handle force in lower areas of the hand, which was and is the benefit of lower hand grip 510. Being satisfied with lower hand grip 510, the current inventor's aim was to improve areas of hand accessory 500 upwards of lower hand grip 510, thus the goal of the current application, hand grip 600, is improvement of upper hand grip 520 such that it could stand alone, affording similar benefits provided in hand accessory 500 but without the assistance of lower hand grip 510.
Current hand grip 600 has succeeded in improving the cushioning reception of inertial handle force not only by a lower reception area than upper hand grip 520 but also by a better means of dispersing force to the upper hand wherein sensitive knuckles and tendons must be avoided, this accomplished by a far more external, three dimensional structure than upper hand grip 520.
Thus, current hand grip 600 may be used independently, or may be used in combination with lower hand grip 510 of hand accessory 500, being separate as in embodiment 500D or joined as in all previous embodiments.
For a more lengthy explanation of the prior art, including gripping analysis and difficulties encountered one may refer to U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,864 B2, or any of the inventor's seven issued patents on hand accessories, each having detailed comparisons with the prior patent.
The following will summarize the general elements and concepts found in the inventor's prior issued patents which have led to current hand grip 600. The inventor's second U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,165 showed a plug type structure that filled in fleshy web areas which succeeded in positioning the handle out in the fingers and provided some protection to the thumb bone, however the comfort level was not satisfactory due to restriction of the hand's gripping motion which was not understood at the time. The structure of top portion 100 and downward depending portion 102 has been retained and modified in succeeding patents, now called upper hand plane UP but previously referred to as upper web relocation press 417 (beginning in U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,671 B1), whereby thumb bone protection was accomplished by means of a moving/flexing structure and fleshy relocation with elimination of rigid/bulky structure (more later on pivotal U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,671). Third patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,286 increased the cushioning of previous top portion 100 with horizontal portion 52 and groove 48 being similar in purpose to trough 613 in current hand grip 600, however groove 48 was not accompanied by structure necessary to space handle 48 enough distance from thumb joint 34 (thumb knuckle) as does current thumb/handle spacer 616 and thumb base lever 614. Fourth patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,651 was the first somewhat successful attempt at flexibility and harnessing power from the lower hand and wrist (protuberance 94), and somewhat successful attempt at leveraging and spacing the handle a further distance from the thumb, with flange 113, also allowing greater thumb movement, but still not accounting for the entire inner hand and wrist moving forward and downward relative to the outer hand (holding the handle) moving rearward. The discomfort of receiving stress in the upper hand (thumb/web area) from inertial handle 48 led to fifth U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,180 B1, wherein structure was designed to dissipate stress into the lower hand (tough ball/lower lifeline/wrist area). Pivotal embodiment 203 (FIGS. 13-19 of fifth patent) became the basis for all lower hand structure in succeeding embodiments up to lower hand grip 510 of previous U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,854. Sixth U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,671 was a true breakthrough having an open web area (a space) providing a certain type of flexibility which allowed improved phase two motion while still providing protection for thumb bone and second joint (knuckle) 34, a concept (space in the web and mid palm area surrounded by structure) that has continued in all succeeding upper hand structures by this inventor. Embodiment 400, FIGS. 27, 28, 34 & 35 depicts a moving structure and fleshy relocation protecting the thumb while the space (un-numbered, surrounded by 414, 418 & 454) eliminates bulkiness, pinching, impinging of the joints and tendons, and upper hand stress from the recoiling handle as the hand closes, however complete unrestricted range of motion (phase two through phase four) was still not achieved. The open web area, or “disconnect” area, continued in seventh U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,864 B2 (spaces 5, 2 and 1A in FIGS. 3, 5, 9 & 11) and current hand grip 600, having a larger space 5.
Hand grip 600 improves over upper hand grip 520 of disconnected embodiment 500D of U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,864 B2 and also the upper hand grips 520 of connected embodiments 500A,B &C, by more successfully receiving inertial handle force in a lower portion of hand grip 600 and by leveraging handle 48 further outward in the fingers, thus disbursing stress to lower, stronger areas of the hand, while avoiding stress to the thumb bone, upper web, index finger knuckle and tendons and thumb muscles, increasing gripping comfort and protection in hand grip 600.
Because the handle is gripped in the outer hand (finger/knuckle area) and much of the anchoring of hand grip 600 is at the inner hand including lower thumb base 30, and because thumb base 30 (along lifeline 36) angles toward the wrist (away from the outer hand), the lower the reception area the greater the distance in bridging between inner hand anchors and the outer reception area. (The need for “bridging” the hand with thin material rather than blocking the handle with thick padding has been explained in previous of the inventor's patents, thick padding restricting the normal gripping motion reducing power.)
One apparent new component of the lower reception (handle contact) area is a semi-planer externally extending structure, mid hand plane MP, composed of mid hand cushion M and inner hand structure I. New structure within mid hand plane MP is primary handle contact 660 of mid hand cushion M supported cross-wise and truss-like by thumb base lever 614 of a planer, externally located inner hand structure I (FIGS. 1,9&10. Primary handle contact 660 is located within and below the area of the hand's ring finger hollow 8 (FIGS. 11&12), an area identified by the current inventor in earlier patents as a potential anchoring and reception area due to its toughness, depth (concave shape) and because it remains almost stationary relative to the hand's movement through phases 2,3 and 4. Implementing the area of ring finger hollow 8 as an anchoring and reception area is now more successful than in all previous attempts (several attempts prior to hand accessory 500) due to the more external position of mid hand plane MP allowing the inner hand (inward of transverse crease 11) to move forward, downward and upward in closing without dislodging structure (such as lifeline anchor 652 pressing within lower web 32, lifeline 36 and thumb base 30) providing cushion while avoiding collapse of primary handle contact 660 and without impinging upon surrounding sensitive bones and tendons or impeding the full gripping range of motion (phase one through phase four). Note: Locations of structure relative to the hand are somewhat different in the various embodiments, being higher in the hand in earliest embodiment 600C and moving lower in the hand in more current embodiments, such as 600D. For example, primary handle contact 660, an area integral with junction 667, outer/mid connection 667A, portions of bridging perimeter 658 and handle contact ridge 661 in earlier embodiments, moves with mid hand cushion M to a lower area of the hand formerly occupied by bridge 540 of lower hand grip 510, and also be partially separated by space 2 from the above mentioned formerly integral structure (FIGS. 13-15). Thus current hand grip 600 is less dependent, or completely independent of lower hand grip 510 of previous U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,864 B2, and lower hand grip 510 may be reduced in size or eliminated.
Another apparent new component is a large, externally extending outer web cushion 618 being a component of an upper hand bridging perimeter 686 extending forwardly and externally of the hand's web which is a handle contact area of upper hand plane UP.
[NOTE: Single and two digit numbers identify hand areas (and spaces), three digit numbers identify the patented structure. Letters identify larger areas having two or more numbered structures. Although new structures have new names, the majority of the specification and claims use the same names and last two digits as similar structure of previous 500 embodiment, for instance thumb lever 514 becomes thumb base lever 614. However, some of those names seemed to limit descriptive capability where structure has been repositioned and re-angled to have a somewhat different purpose, so some new terminology has been introduced to clarify.]
In comparing with previous upper hand grip 520, thumb joint anchor 622 (FIG. 1) now is positioned more external of the hand, connecting to the inner side of deflector 609 (spaced connection 607) at almost a right angle tilting deflector 609 forwardly so that the upper edge of deflector 609 (thumb base lever 614) is now actually an outer/external edge, being angled toward the handle almost perpendicular and right angled to handle 48, deflector 609 still being integral with thumb harness 654 known as inner hand structure I which is the more planer portion of mid hand plane MP (mid hand cushion M being the more arcing/flexing portion), a bending within mid hand cushion M and at offset connection 668 (apparent and numbered only in embodiment 600C) allowing a lower portion of inner hand structure I to contact the hand's thumb base and lifeline area bracing primary handle contact 660 and other outer receiving areas externally against inertial handle 48, with an upper portion of deflector 609 external of the palm and below thumb second joint 34. Thumb base lever 614 (now the external/outer edge of deflector 609), thus located considerably lower and leveraging against handle 48 right angled in a lower, more powerful area than previous thumb lever 514, thumb base lever 614 (within bridging perimeter 658) now extending to a strong receiving area, such as primary handle contact 660 at junction 667 or outer/mid connection 667A (see embodiments 600C & 600B) at roughly perpendicular. Note: Thumb base lever 614 is an inner portion of bridging perimeter 658 (FIGS. 5, 6 & 14) which extends as a lever outward to mid hand cushion M including such as primary handle contact 660 and handle contact ridge 661. Because embodiment 600A and especially 600D extend further outward and lower in the hand than 600C & 600B, the above described right angled leveraging is only apparent in an upper/inner area of 600A & D. Primary handle contact 660 extends upwardly as outer transverse anchor 663, also an important receiving area. Outer transverse anchor 663 is similar in appearance to previous lifeline anchor 552 but different in location (further outward) and somewhat in purpose. [However embodiment 600B (shown for left hand usage, FIGS. 5&6), having a smaller mid hand plane MP and greatly reduced primary handle contact 660, shows outer transverse anchor 663 angling inwardly of the hand's transverse crease becoming a lifeline anchor, and embodiment 600D is a combination of A & D, having outer transverse anchor 663 split in two sections anchoring outwardly and inwardly.] Primary handle contact 660 extends downwardly, then inwardly as ring finger trough anchor 662 being a portion of mid hand perimeter 650 adjacent the area of ring finger trough 18 and tough ball 38 in embodiments 600B & C (the mid hand), the combined structures along with an outer area of bridging perimeter 658 being a major portion of mid-hand cushion M.
Unlike previous embodiments, a large amount of structure is located exterior of the hand's lifeline 36 during phase one grip (not pressing in), and some areas such as an upper portion of deflector 609 remain external throughout the grip. Current lifeline anchor 652 (FIGS. 2, 7 & 8) which, during phase one, is held externally of the hand's lifeline 36 at a tension area which is enhanced by the planer structure and connection of mid hand cushion M and inner hand structure I at offset connection 668 located a distance externally of the hand due in part to the planer extension across the palm (the area of bridging perimeter 658) and angles of attachment between thumb joint anchor 622, deflector 609, and primary handle contact 660 creating an external reception area of handle 48 (or tension area) which creates a spring-like cushion against inertial handle force over sensitive portions of the hand's palm.
Lifeline anchor 652 moves interiorly due to gripping and inertial handle force beginning at phase two pressing into the area of lifeline trough 36A and lower web 32, a similar area as contacted by thumb spread 526 of previous embodiments. The current benefits of lifeline anchor 652 and thumb spread 626 however are greater with the current externality allowing a better anchoring approach, thus deeper anchoring (not being dislodged by the bulging thumb base 30 muscle) and improved thumb spreading (thumb spread 626 within the fleshy web preventing thumb knuckle 34 from bumping hand grip structure), explained in the detail.
The following analysis more fully explains the success of current hand grip 600 in receiving and dispersing inertial handle force to (or accessing power from) the strongest areas of the hand:
Like a lever, the thumb's strongest area is the area that moves the least distance which is the lowest area of thumb base 30 (lifeline trough 36A and thumb third joint 35). Equally important in contributing strength is the arm (wrist) moving directly behind the inner hand in closing, acting as a buttress. In other words, the gripping motion (aside from the fingers) is not so much the thumb moving as it is the whole inner hand moving forwardly supported (buttressed) by the wrist in the area considerably below thumb knuckle 34, there being no direct support to the upper area of thumb base 30 and thumb knuckle 34. Now, with the more external location of mid hand plane MP and bracing from a more external upper hand plane UP, deflector 609 is supported externally of the bulging mid to upper area of thumb base 30 allowing more dispersion of force to carry through lifeline anchor 652, thumb harness 654, thumb harness perimeter 655 and lower lifeline anchor 651 to the area of thumb third joint 35 and wrist 74, than previous embodiments, the new externality causing inner hand structure I to avoid most of the bulging thumb base 30, not dispersing stress to the weaker upper area of thumb second joint 34, the surrounding anchors not being pushed out of position by the bulging thumb base 30, thus allowing thumb harness 654, lifeline anchor 652 and lower lifeline anchor 651 to remain firmly anchored in their receiving areas.
The success in holding mid hand cushion M and inner hand structure I more externally allows for a larger amount of space (pivot space 5 and anchor space 2) separating the inner, outer, upper and lower hand areas of hand grip structure. The larger amount of space allows greater flexibility of hand grip 600 allowing a full range of gripping motion while the exposed sensitive hand areas within pivot space 5 are untouched, being bridged over by handle 48.
Thus, hand grip 600 is a more three dimensional structure than previous upper hand grip 520, with the majority of the lower portion more successfully held externally of the palm area of the hand creating a spring-like cushion against the recoiling bat handle further reducing stress and potential bruising of the gripping hand than in previous embodiments.
Upper hand plane UP is similar in appearance in the drawings to previous upper web relocation press 517 but has substantial improvements later explained which create a more external forward area, upper hand bridging perimeter 686 capable of better cushioning and absorption of greater inertial handle force. In upper hand plane UP, outer web cushion 618 is now similar in structure and function to the area of mid hand cushion M in mid hand plane MP, in fact, the two forward and externally extending semi-planer structures (upper hand plane UP and mid hand plane MP) were similar to each other to the extent that various models during development between 600C and 600A could be inverted (upside down) and used in the opposite hand (left hand), thus embodiment 600B was created (shown for left hand usage in FIGS. 5 & 6)